


Say My Name

by anaraine



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 13:28:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12705945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anaraine/pseuds/anaraine
Summary: There's a part of Fives that lives for Rabé's bright smile and the way she says his name.





	Say My Name

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarthLivion (DistantShenanigans)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantShenanigans/gifts).



With Captain Rex and Commander Ahsoka floating in a pair of bacta tanks, someone from the 501st has to take up discreet General watching duty. Just as a precaution. General Skywalker tends to get a little twitchy when either of them are stuck in medical. It makes sense to send one of their own to watch his back when _both_ of them are recovering.

Fives just doesn't know how that someone ended up being him. Surely someone more senior should have been given this job? Or someone who had been trained in stealth specifically instead of the standard classes that every clone was required to take?

"Wha— Fives?"

Case in kriffin' point.

"Yessir," Fives answers, because there's no point in trying to hide from a Jedi.

"Fives, what are you doing here?" General Skywalker asks, his brow furrowed in irritation.

"Ah, uh," Fives hesitates, scrambling for any sort of excuse. "I'm looking for Echo?" He winces when he hears the register of his own voice.

"You're looking for Echo," General Skywalker says flatly. "In Theed's marketplace. When the 501st has been confined to the _Resolute_."

"Yessir," Fives says, warming to the lie even as he mentally apologizes to his brother. "He wanted a book on Naboo culture, and figured this would be his best chance to get ahold of one! I'm just here to collect him and bring him back to the ship."

General Skywalker sighs, but his irritation seems to have vanished. Amused disbelief isn't much better, but a wry smile curves his lips and his hands have relaxed at his sides. Fives will take that any day, even if it probably means that he knows exactly what Fives is doing here.

"Well, I suppose you'll have to come with me then," General Skywalker says, shaking his head. "You aren't going to find many books on Naboo culture down here." He turns, and continues walking down the cobbled streets.

Fives lengthens his stride to catch up, falling into place just behind and to the left of his General. "Sir?"

"You're more likely to find artesian foods and handicrafts down here. If you're looking for books, you're better off heading to the university."

"Is that where we're going?" Fives asks, eyeing the green dome in the distance.

"No. I have an appointment to keep. We can go to the university library on the way back." His words have a finality that Fives isn't particularly interested in testing.

The cobbles underneath their feet give way to interlocking tiles; the ornamental masonry on the buildings around them grow more complex. General Skywalker walks off the main road, trailing a flowering vine along the side of a building, and Fives follows curiously. He stops at an ornate door to knock and says something in a strange, fluting language that Fives hasn't heard before. He can guess what it was though. Some sort of call and response for security reasons.

The door opens for them, and Fives finds himself with the business end of a small blaster in his face.

Before he really has time to panic, General Skywalker intervenes.

"Rabé, this is Fives. He's one of mine."

The blaster is pulled back, but only by a fraction. Its wielder wouldn't have any problems killing him at such a close range. Though, the increased space does give him the opportunity to get a better look at... Rabé. Presumably. Not that there was much to see. A general outline of their form suggests they are female, but a burgundy hood and cloak concealed most of their features.

"You didn't mention you were bringing guests, Ani."

There's something about their voice that reminds Fives of the Senator; he expected the higher register, but not the strength behind it and the lilting cadence of their words.

"I didn't know I was bringing guests," General Skywalker says, shrugging. "He was worried."

"I was not—" Fives blurts out, before clapping his hands over his mouth in vague horror.

General Skywalker snorts, and Rabé laughs. Rabé finally points their blaster away, and gestures with their free hand to come in.

"Well, it's good to know your men care," Rabé says, pulling their hood back after the door has been shut.

General Skywalker hums in vague agreement.

Rabé turns, offering Fives a small nod of acknowledgement but a wide and sincere smile. "I'm pleased to meet you, Fives. My name is Rabé, of the house of Amidala."

"Pleased to meet you," Fives repeats automatically, noting that she looks quite a bit like the Senator. Not a clone, but similar enough that from a distance they would be hard to tell apart.

Fives has met pretty women before. That's not the problem. The problem is that Rabé said his name and _smiled_ like he was the only one in the room. He may be a tiny bit in love with the sparkle of her eyes and the sincerity of her smile. Even if she had been pointing a blaster at him not five minutes ago.

...maybe especially because she had been pointing a blaster at him. Her grip had been steady and sure. If General Skywalker hadn't spoken up, Fives doesn't doubt she would have shot him. And he can appreciate that kind of ruthlessness.

Still. It's not like he's ever going to see her again. (So he'd better take the time to look _now_ , instead of wasting his time staring at a painted vase.)

◊◊◊

"Have _you_ ever been to the Senator's office?" Echo asks dubiously, glancing back down at the flimsi that would supposedly grant them entrance to Senate Annex.

"Nope. Have you done anything to piss off Captain Rex lately?" Fives asks in reply.

Echo shoots him an affronted glare. "If I _had_ , I would've blamed you and you'd be stuck on starfighter cleaning duty. Not being sent to deliver intel to Senator Amidala."

"Then I've got nothing," Fives says. "Maybe we were just the first people the General saw that didn't also have to attend a meeting."

"Maybe," Echo says, unconvinced. "But there are regs, you know. If not the General, then the Commander. If not the Commander, then the Captain. If not the Captain, then one of the lieutenants should have taken it."

"Well, one of the lieutenants didn't take it. It got handed to us. So stand sharp, soldier," Fives says, clapping Echo on the shoulder as they near the lower pedestrian entrances to the building.

Echo makes a face. "I don't need _you_ telling me that." He does as he's told, though. There's no point picking a fight with the stuffy Coruscant Guard unless they're at 79s.

The flimsi and their numbers are enough to get them into the building, and Echo finds a public holomap that tells them where to find Senator Amidala's offices. From there it's just a mindless trudge through hallways and up lifts until they reach their destination.

Fives doesn't really know what he was expecting when he touched the intercom and announced that they had a package for the Senator, but it certainly wasn't this.

"It's Fives, isn't it?" Rabé asks, tucking a stray bit of dark hair behind her ear and smiling. "Please come in." She turns to glide back into the Senator's office, the hem of her dress touching the floor.

Echo looks at him incredulously, but Fives is just as surprised as he is. He hadn't expected to see Rabé again. And even if he did, he wouldn't have expected her to remember his name. (That she clearly _has_ lights a small, unexpected warmth in his heart.)

"Would you care for some tea, or caff?" Rabé asks, returning with a tray laden with brightly colored fruits and small pastries.

"Uhum, we're fine," Fives says, sharing another bemused glance with Echo. "We're just here to deliver something for the Senator?"

"My lady is currently in a meeting," Rabé says, setting the tray on a low table. "But you are welcome to wait for her, if you like."

"We should probably get back to the legion," Echo says, somewhat reluctantly. He's eyeing the pastries with a faintly covetous air. Sugary foods are worth their weight in credits and favors on a GAR Star Destroyer. "We don't know when we're shipping out again."

Rabé frowns. "Do you expect to leave before tonight?"

"Not... really," Fives says hesitantly. He wouldn't mind staying a bit longer.

"But we are expected to help with restocking the ship," Echo adds. "Thank you for your hospitality, ma'am. But we really only came to deliver this to Senator Amidala." He produces the datachip that General Skywalker had pressed into his hand.

Rabé takes the chip and pockets it. "I will make sure that she gets it," she says. "Please send our well wishes back to the 501st for your continued service. You and your brothers will always be welcome on Naboo."

"Thank you," Fives stammers. A moment later, his voice is joined by Echo's.

Fives spends the trip back to the _Resolute_ fending off Echo's curious questions.

◊◊◊

Being an ARC hasn't lost its shine. Of the small freedoms they're granted, the independence to explore (or "scout ahead") is the one Fives loves best. (General Skywalker had let the 501st do much the same, but there's a _difference_ in being explicitly allowed allowed and their General deciding to look the other way.)

Dex's Diner is one of his better finds. The proprietor is not only friendly to clones, but he's watched both General Kenobi and General Skywalker grow up. Fives intends to make his way through the entire menu while ferreting out as many stories as he can.

He's halfway through a plate of nerf steak when he hears a vaguely familiar voice calling out to Dex.

"Is that one of the Senator's handmaidens?" Echo asks. There is only one Senator that deserves the title when it comes to those who have served with the 501st.

Fives looks up to see Rabé, chatting amiably with the besalisk. She's not wearing a dress today, having changed into a sleek pair of synthleather pants and some sort of flowing blouse. She doesn't quite fit into the regular populace of CoCo Town, but Dex's gets a wider enough clientele that no one else is giving her a second look. (Besides, Fives isn't one to talk. He and Echo are still wearing their armor. The kama keeps the Coruscant Guard from giving them too much trouble.)

"It's Rabé," Fives confirms, resolutely turning back to his steak.

"Rabé," Echo says, rolling the name in his mouth. His eyes light in realization. "Wasn't she the one who—"

"Fives!" Rabé exclaims from halfway across the diner. She darts past a serving droid and comes to a stop at the edge of their booth. "It _is_ you! I didn't realize that the 501st was on Coruscant."

"It's not," Fives says blankly, before realizing why she would have come to that conclusion.

"What my brother means," Echo says, and Fives can kriffin' well hear the laughter in his voice even if Rabé can't, "is that we're ARC now. We're still nominally with the 501st, but we're on Coruscant with the 41st. Special assignment."

"Does that mean a congratulations is in order?" Rabé asks, glancing between the two of them.

"You could say that," Fives says. He tries to flash her a cocky grin, but he's not entirely sure he succeeds. "We certainly like it."

"Then I'm very happy for you both," Rabé says, a wide smile spreading across her face.

"Ryoo - order's up!" Dex shouts from the kitchen.

"That's me," Rabé says. "And I need to get going. But I do hope you'll both stop by to say hello. We'd be happy to celebrate with you."

"I don't—" Fives begins, only to be interrupted.

"Fives would love to visit tomorrow," Echo says brightly. "I might not be able to make it though - I have a date at 79s, and we ship out the day after. Is that still okay?"

"Of course it is - you are both welcome to visit whenever either of you have the time. I hope your date goes well," Rabé says, smiling.

She manages to leave without much fanfare, but within ten minutes Dex is ambling over with a slice of Sic-Six-layer cake large enough for two.

"This was ordered for you by the lady," Dex announces. He slides a piece of flimsi onto the table. "Best save that," he says, tapping at it with a thick finger. "I've got a good feeling about you two."

A comm number is scrawled across the flimsi in an ornate hand.

When Fives looks back at Echo, his brother is fluttering his eyelashes and pursing his lips.

"You look like a dying fish," Fives says crankily, instead of punching the smug look off Echo's face.

◊◊◊

Fives does visit Senator Amidala's offices the following day. He's introduced to Dormé and Saché and the Senator greets him almost as warmly as Rabé does. He doesn't really know what to do with himself in this kind of situation, but he manages to brazen it out.

The Senator has a lot of good stories, and her handmaidens manage to draw him into sharing some of his own. They're a fun group to talk to.

The best part of the visit, however, is when Rabé invites him to comm her if he'd like. It's flattering in a way that Fives isn't used to, even if he's not really planning to use the number.

Except then he does. Just a short little call, telling her a story about Echo amidst his loud protests int he background.

Her reply is short, but Fives gets a fuzzy blue holo of her unfettered laughter, and that's more than enough.

One call turns into two. Then three. And before he quite realizes it, Fives is comming Rabé every week.

There's a part of him that lives for her bright smile and the way she says his name.

◊◊◊

Fives uses the keycard in his possession to gain access to Rabé's apartments, expecting to strip from his armor and catch a nap. While he's still coming off a late night shift in hyperspace, it is the middle of the day on Coruscant. Rabé is probably working, and there's not much point in trying to get her to return sooner.

Which is why it's such a surprise to see her sitting on one of the chaises, frowning down at the datapad in her hand.

"Dormé, have you read-" Rabé pauses mid-sentence, then looks up. A small smile forms on her face, growing in size as she sets the datapad down beside her and stands. "Fives?"

Fives is caught flatfooted. "Hi," he says, and the word sounds a little weak. He takes off his helmet and clears his throat. "You said I was welcome to drop by even if you weren't here?"

"Of course you are," Rabé says while coming closer. She takes his hand gently and guides him further into her sitting room, nudging him to sit down on the chaise. With careful hands she takes his helmet and sets it on the side-table, moving her datapad so she can sit next to him. "You look exhausted," she says, and lifts her hand to trail her thumb under one of his eyes.

"I am, a bit," Fives admits. "It was a long campaign."

Rabé hums, and takes his hand in hers. "Do you need help with this?" she asks, drumming her fingers against the plastoid of his armor.

"Please," Fives says, and his voice sounds thin to his own ears, but Rabé refrains from commenting. Her fingers trace across catches and joints, checking for injuries as she carefully removes his shell and stacks the plastoid neatly next to his helmet. Before he knows it he's down to his blacks, almost naked in Rabé's sitting room and he _knows_ that he's not the only person she's given out keycards to. Fives almost makes to move, though he's not sure where he'd _go_ , but Rabé pulls a thin blanket off the back off the chaise and drapes it over his legs.

"I'm not a child," Fives finds himself protesting.

"Of course you're not," Rabé says, surprised. "But you are tired, aren't you? I thought you'd take a nap here while I finished reading about this bill."

That has Fives flushing with warmth; her consideration and kindness were always his undoing. "I'd like that," he says shyly.

Rabé smiles back at him, and urges him to set his head into her lap. He does so with only the barest of hesitations, cuddling into her warmth as she picks up her datapad and begins to read. Fives takes a deep breath, getting a full nose of the pleasant scent of her skin, something earthy and smelling faintly of her soap.

Within a few minutes, Rabé has freed one of her hands to card gently through his hair, her nails scratching gently at his scalp. It is better than any kind of drug that Kix has at his disposal. Tension Fives didn't realize he was carrying started unwinding from his shoulders as she continues her absent ministrations. Rabé's breathing is even and clear, a deep inhale and exhale with a cadence that he could set a chrono to. Listening to it and breathing with her rhythm was soothing. It also sets his mind to wandering; does she do this with her sisters? 

Feeling sleepy and warm, Fives lets himself drift off to the sound of Rabé scrolling through her datapad.


End file.
